Cruising the ICW

Choose any sunny day from Easter through Labor Day. I bet you that 95% of the boats launching from the Wildlife Commission's free boat ramp at the foot of the Wrightsville Beach Drawbridge are pleasure boaters out for a good time. This means cruising. If you are a cruiser then you can't pick a better place to do it than the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) in the Wilmington/ Wrightsville Beach area. With over twenty miles of sheltered channels between New Topsail Inlet and Carolina Beach this area provides a wealth of opportunities for the boating family to get out and enjoy the day.
The Wrightsville Beach launch ramp is easy to find. Just pull to the right as you go over the bridge and go back under it, and the ramp will be right there. It is the most used ramp in the state and gets really crowded on weekends. Be prepared to wait. Have patience and be courteous because a bad attitude never helped anybody. Have your boat ready to go before you start to back down the ramp. Lines ready. Motor brackets off. Engine primed. Whatever you need to do. The sooner you can get out of the way the better it will be for everybody.
The other public access is at the west end of Snow's Cut in Carolina Beach. This one isn't quite so crowded but has it's moments. Always be ready to get out of the way of others quickly. When preparing to get your boat onto your trailer, drop somebody off at the ramp and pull back out away from the dock. The person who was dropped off should get the tow vehicle and back it down the ramp. Then you can drive your boat up, put it on the trailer and leave. There are also numerous marinas in the area where you can launch your boat for a fee.
One of the things that people like to do when cruising is to find a nice stretch of beach where they can hang loose. One of the most popular spots for this activity is at the north eastern tip of Masonboro Island, behind the south jetty of Masonboro Inlet. On any given day you can see dozens of boats pulled here. It is a popular place for families to have a picnic and there are always friendly dogs around who will lick your face for free. This is a great spot. It is sheltered from the prevailing southwest wind, yet still close to the ocean beach. The kids can explore the grass flats and there is always some swimming.
One the most beautiful and definitely most exclusive stretches of property on the North Carolina coast is Figure Eight Island. You can't even drive across the bridge unless you own property here. There is, however, a way for the everyday person to enjoy this superb spot. On the north end of the island is Rich's Inlet. Many boaters find this a fine place to park for the day. The inlet has strong currents, so it is wise to be careful about swimming. But the beach provides a splendid walk to look for shells. Many croaker and spot swim around here as well, so a rod with a double hook bottom rig and a bit of shrimp or squid will not be ignored for too long. Directly west of the north end of Figure Eight Island is Sand Dollar Island. Low tide is the time to go there. A nice lagoon forms that has no current and is a good place for little kids to get into the water. As the name implies the chance to pick up sand dollars is pretty good here as well.
When you get tired of hanging around why not check out some world class fishing spots? The Masonboro Inlet jetties are well known as fish producers. Sheepshead are a favorite summertime denizen here and can be caught using the fiddler crabs that you see scuttling on the beach. Flounder are also caught around the jetties as are bluefish, speckled trout, gray trout, spanish mackerel and a host of small bottom dwellers. Snow's Cut down by Carolina Beach is a good choice for flounder fishing. The biggest flounder of the season come from there every year, some as big as 10 pounds or more. That would provide you and your family with a few nice fish dinners.
If you don't feel like doing any fishing there are plenty of other sights. The area is known for its beautiful homes. Figure Eight Island is where vice-president Gore and his family spent their summer vacation this past year. Jack Nicholson is known to spend time there and Steven Spielberg owns a house on the island. There are also great homes along the west shoreline of the ICW that stand right out over the water. You can sit back and check them out as you cruise down the channel. Dolphins also frequent the area here and the days you see them will outnumber the days you won't.
Around Wrightsville Bridge are some great places to grab lunch. These are places that cater to the beach-going crowd so don't be ashamed to go in wearing your bathing suit. There are young men who will help you at the free docks and you are encouraged to come on in off your boat whenever you want. You will see some huge motor yachts and sport fishing boats. Don't be intimidated. There is room enough for everybody. Just use caution around the bridge. It can be very congested and the current is quite swift. The channel under the bridge is narrow and many boats congregate at any given time. Observe the no wake zones and be alert. If you are a small boater you need to be aware that the large yachts sometimes can't see you. Be prepared to scoot quickly out of the way and look out for those big, rolling wakes that they trail. People that own larger boats also need to be more aware of the small boaters. Don't forget that you displace a lot of water and you might swamp those boats anchored along the shoreline.
That's about it for cruising around Wrightsville Beach / Wilmington. Just remember to be smart. Be alert. Never drink while boating. This is a very high traffic area. Don't ruin your fun day with an accident due to drinking. Bring plenty of sunscreen and don't be afraid to do a little exploring. The channels are well marked and the most fun is finding a great spot that nobody else knows about.